Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 159 by IQ INC.

the city wall. Haiti is

of federal BY

the

BY THE CONVERSATION

countries on Earth. Editorial credit: Serhii Mykhalchuk / Shutterstock.com

VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC! SERVING THE CARIBBEAN AND HISPANIC COMMUNITIES! FREE A D.B.A. OF I.Q. INC. ISSUE 159 VOLUME 22 August 25, 2022 5 Ways to Give Your Partner More Space ....24 The Queen of Bacchanal Headlines Queens Carnival ....15 Attorney General James Cracks Down on Tenant Blacklisting ....6 Knowledge is Power when you use it! Get the CallAskConsultation!BESTtheLawyer:855-768-8845 Brian Figeroux, Esq., Member, American Immigration Lawyers Associationcontinued on page 8 Student ImpactForgiveness:LoanTheofBiden’s Plan Mayor Adams Announces “Project Open Arms” to Meet Educational Needs of Asylum Seekers ....11 Former Grenadian Minister Simon Stiell to be Next UN Climate Chief ....17 Hon Marcus Garvey Honored on the Anniversary of his 135th birthday ....17 Get Ready! New York’s Biggest Carnival Is Back! ....21 St Lucia’s Minister Edward: New High-Seas Treaty Must Ensure Equity for Caribbean Nations ....3President Joe Biden Editorial credit: Marlin360 / Shutterstock.com Haiti Sinking Deeper into Catastrophe: Who Will Save It? continued on page 4

One key component of the American dream is home own ership. But for many, that dream is becoming a nightmare. The homeowner is now living in fear of Joe Biden announced a program to provide student debt relief millions of borrowers SIR RONALD SANDERS

Cap-Haïtien, Haiti - January 12, 2009 : Men on the

Haiti has never been far from wide-scale human suffering, grave political instability, and grim economic underdevelopment. But its circumstances today are worse than they have been before. The country has become a battle ground for rival criminal gangs, whose weapons are superior to those of the Police, both in quantity and fire power. These gangs have established fiefdoms in which they rule supreme, terrorizing communities, kidnapping people, demanding huge ran background of recognized as one of poorest

foreclosure.President

Jamaica 767 Third Avenue, 2nd Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-935-9000

Belize 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1911 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-593-0999

Panama 1212 Avenue of the Americas, 20th Floor New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: 212-840-2450

Barbados Government Caps Fuels Prices

Effective August 19, consumers in Barbados will be paying less for gasoline and diesel as Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced that the price of fuel at the pump will be capped for the next five months. Gasoline will cost BDS$4.48 (US$2.24) per litre, while diesel will be BDS$4.03 (US$2.01) until January 31, 2023. Mottley also said that the cap on the Value Added Tax (VAT) on gasoline and diesel, which was put in place five months ago, would be kept in place.

Martinique 444 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-838-6887

PAHO Seeks to Strengthen and Response to Future Respiratory Virus Pandemics in Latin America

St. Maarten 675 Third Avenue, Suite 1807 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 800-786-2278

"Our capacity to respond to health emer gencies depends on what we have done before they occur and what we have learned during previous emergencies" such as COVID-19, said the PAHO Director during the opening of the work shop, which brings together technical experts in epidemiology, laboratory, immunization and risk communication from the ministries of Health of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay and Suriname.

Grenada 685 Third Avenue, Suite 1101 New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-599-0301

Anguilla 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022

For more Consulate information go to www.cawnyc.com/directory 2CARIBBEAN SPECIAL

Antigua & Barbuda 305 East 47th Street, Suite 6A New York, N.Y. 10020 Tel: 212-541-4117

Trinidad & Tobago 125 Maiden Lane, 4th Floor New York, N.Y. 10038 Tel: 212-682-7272 REPORT

The Bahamas 231 East 46th Street New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-421-6420

Guyana 308 West 38th Street New York, N.Y. 10018 Tel: 212-947-5119

Dominican Republic 1500 Broadway, Suite 410 New York, N.Y. 10036 Tel: 212-599-8478

Haiti 815 Second Avenue,6th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-697-9767

Preparedness

St. Vincent & The Grenadines 801 Second Avenue, 4th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-687-4981

"All of this is key for us to be prepared to respond and succeed during emergencies that threaten our region," she stressed.

Barbados 820 Second Avenue, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-551-4325

Reflecting on the countries' response to the emergency, Vizzotti stated that "we were able to do many things in a very short time. We have to look back to see what we learned, but also forward in order to make improvements and take action that will better position us for the next"Thepandemic".COVID-19 pandemic is not over yet," said the PAHO Representative in Argentina, Eva Jané Llopis, and added that since the declaration of the public health emergency of international impor tance on January 30, 2020, "the response had to be adjusted, to seek funding and involve other sectors" due to its great scope and duration. "Reflecting on what we did, taking it to the level of strategies, and thinking about other epidemiological challenges is crucial to continue moving forward," she said. PAHO expects to hold similar work shops with other countries in the region during 2022. The outputs of this and other workshops will integrate the vision of the Americas region into global pan demic preparedness and response docu ments and guidelines. l

Tel: 212-745-0200

St. Lucia 630 Third Avenue, 7th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-697-9360

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The PM further advised that “if the prices fall below that cap, all of those reductions will be passed through to the consumer. If the prices go above that cap, the Government will hold the line and keep the cap in place.” courtesy: PAHO

l Photo

The Minister of Health of Argentina, Carla Vizzotti, considered that the COVID-19 pandemic showed that health "must be a priority for everyone" because "without health one cannot study, work or produce". After indicating that the government had to reformulate its response to the pandemic, Vizzotti said that the region must tackle the challenges around access to medical suppliessomething learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, and "think about how we can produce and expand access to vaccines.”

Caribbean Consulates

A preparedness and response plan for events with epidemic and pandemic potential is one of the core capacities required by the International Health Regulations (IHR), a legally binding international convention adopted by Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) to prevent and respond to public health threats that can cross borders and affect populations around the "Functioningworld.health systems are the foundation of health security," asserted Dr. Etienne and it is essential to "secure supply chains of vaccines, medicines, laboratory reagents, personal protective equipment and other strategic public health goods" before the next emergency occurs, and "strengthen the resilience of health systems with human resources and planning."ThePAHO Director recalled that two centers in Argentina and Brazil were des ignated by WHO for the future develop ment and production of vaccines using mRNA technology, something that is expected to improve timely and equitable access to vaccines in the region and con tribute to health self-sufficiency.

Montserrat 845 Third Avenue New York, N.Y. 10022 Tel: 212-745-0200

St. Kitts & Nevis 414 East 75th Street, 5th Floor New York, N.Y. 10021 Tel: 212-535-5521

Buenos Aires, August 17, 2022 (PAHO): With the aim of sup porting countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to develop or update their operational plans to face future pandemics, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is holding a regional workshop on preparedness and response to events with pandemic and epidemic potential in Buenos Aires this week. This workshop will take into account the lessons learned from COVID-19."Aswemeet today, we continue to deal with the current COVID-19 pandemic and, at the same time, we are facing an outbreak of Monkeypox in several coun tries," said PAHO Director Carissa F. Etienne. COVID-19, she said, "has been a formidable challenge" and "a stark reminder of the responsibility we all have to invest in prevention, preparedness and response to communicable pathogen events”.Dr.Etienne highlighted that, as of last Wednesday, there were 170 million cases and nearly 3 million deaths due to COVID-19 in the Americas. She noted that other respiratory pathogens are reemerging, and that seasonal influenza causes between 290,000 and 650,000 deaths each year in the region. "We must never forget that it is not a question of whether a pandemic will occur due to a new influenza virus, but when it will occur," she warned.

Dominica 685 Third Avenue, 11th Floor New York, N.Y. 10017 Tel: 212-949-0853

Hon. Shawn Edward is the Minister for Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology, Saint Lucia

Countries, including those from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), are meeting at the United Nations headquar ters from August 15 to 26 in New York City for the fifth Intergovernmental Conference to finalise an international legally-binding agreement to improve governance of—and protect biodiversity in—the high seas. This new treaty would benefit all who depend on a healthy glob al ocean, including CARICOM member states.Protecting these remote ocean areas would have local and regional benefits. Those include preserving iconic species that migrate between the high seas and the adjacent CARICOM exclusive eco nomic zones (EEZs), for example, whales, dolphins, and economically important fish stocks such as tuna and swordfish.Located in the North Atlantic Ocean adjacent to the Caribbean region, the Sargasso Sea contains high concentra tions of marine biodiversity not found elsewhere. It represents an important nursery for many endangered species, such as the green sea turtle, and is vital to the productivity of commercial Atlantic fisheries, valued at an estimated US$100 million per year. Species yet to be dis covered in these waters may also hold the key to tackling global disease. For example, tests used to diagnose COVID19 and other pandemics were developed with the help of an enzyme isolated from bacteria found in the deep ocean at marine hydrothermal vents.

The high seas, which are outside the con trol of any one nation, cover nearly twothirds (64 per cent) of the world’s ocean and support diverse marine life that is critical to the health of the ocean, cli mate, and Currently,people.only about one per cent of the high seas are protected. While there are laws governing certain activities on these waters, including fisheries, seabed mining and shipping, there are large gaps in those policies, which means coordinat ing protections, such as the creation of marine protected areas (MPAs), can slip between the cracks. Soon, however, those gaps could be filled by a more comprehensive approach to conserving ocean resources.

BY HON SHAWN EDWARD

A high seas treaty with provisions for non-monetary and monetary benefit sharing and a strong and equitable suite of capacity building and transfer of marine technology (CBTT) provisions will ensure CARICOM nations can fully implement and benefit from this new Agreement. Of necessity, the new Agreement should include arrangements such as resources to support assessments to better understand gaps in capacity, open access to digital sequence informa tion, data and technology, adequate and reliable sources of funding, and mecha nisms to facilitate partnership and coop eration – critical to the success of imple menting the treaty. To this end, CARICOM is pushing for a strong institutional mechanism within the new high seas treaty text to better manage our ocean, fair and equitable benefit sharing and meaningful capacity building and transfer of marine technolo gy.For example, we believe that the cre ation of a CBTT Committee tasked with delivering capacity building would great ly contribute to this. Among its functions, the proposed committee would assess the effectiveness of CBTT programs and projects and review gaps and challenges. The CBTT Committee would also ana lyze the needs and priorities of develop ing countries, including the support required and what has already been pro vided. As small states with limited resources, access to adequate funding is fundamental to delivering CBTT in the region.Ahealthy ocean is paramount to liveli hoods, social wellbeing, environmental sustainability, and economic security in CARICOM. At the last round of negotia tions for a high-seas treaty in August, UN delegates must ensure that a new high seas treaty contains the provisions to conserve and sustainably use our ocean’s resources and to enable CARICOM nations to deliver fully on the agree ment.

The Caribbean Sea is renowned for its clear waters, teeming coral reefs, and vibrant coastal ecosys tems, but these habitats don’t exist in a vacuum: Their fate is tied to the health of the broader ocean, including the high seas, the areas beyond national jurisdic tion 200 nautical miles from shore.

Currently, most Caribbean governments and other developing and small island nations have limited capacities–finan cial, human, and technological—that prevent them from engaging in marine scientific research in the deep sea and accessing the rewards of conservation efforts. Building the capacity to effec tively conserve and manage these vital marine resources is important not only for CARICOM members but for other countries hoping to fulfill their interna tional obligations and commitments to protect the high seas. Given that the high seas are the global commons and the common heritage of mankind, protecting these ecologically connected waters, par ticularly those in the Caribbean region, benefits us all.

VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC! THOUGHTS 3 TEAM ublisher I.Q. INC. Managing Editor & Editor-in-Chief Pearl Phillip Legal Advisor Brian Figeroux, Esq. Graphic & Website Designers Praim KenrickSamsoondarWilliams Feature Writers Linda VictoriaNwokeFalk Contributors Jennine Estes Tarsha Gibbons Janet Howard Mary ChrisTravisCampbellMoralesTobias Email info@myiqinc.com Telephone 718-771-0988 Website www.cawnyc.com My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. —Hosea 4:6 New High-Seas Treaty Must Ensure Equity for Caribbean Nations

College Requirements for Police Forces Can Save Black Lives, But at What Cost?

THE CONVERSATION continued on page 4

Police forces requiring at least a two-year college degree for employment are less likely to employ officers who engage in actions that cause the deaths of Black and unarmed citizens, according to our new peer-reviewed study of data on 235 U.S. city police departments from 2000 to 2016.Findings from our analysis conducted alongside colleagues professor William Sabol and David Snively, interim police chief in Morrow, Georgia, also revealed that Black citizens were no more likely than white citizens to die during police encounters in places where police are required to have more college education. With a few exceptions, most prior research shows officer education level and department college requirements do not significantly affect deadly police out comes. That research is mostly limited by data availability and methodological challenges preventing more rigorous studies.Further, no one has really looked at racial differences in the effects of college requirements on police-caused deaths until our Becausestudy.research into the effects of col lege requirements on the use of lethal force by police – especially against Black people – is lacking, we analyzed a unique dataset developed from various govern ment and crowd-sourced databases to conduct our research. This dataset included roughly one-fifth of all documented police-involved fatali ties and a quarter of Black people killed by police in the U.S. from 2000 to 2016. Our results demonstrated that college minimums are associated with as much as three times lower rates of police-relat ed fatalities involving Black people than police forces without a college degree requirement.Thesemore educated police were also responsible for unarmed citizens dying at a rate two times lower than their counter parts. Why it matters Recent high-profile police killings of Black Americans, including George Floyd in 2020, have underscored longstanding issues with racial disparities in police-caused deaths. These tragedies renewed questions

NYPD police vehicle parked at New York Police Department station on Times Square - New York, USA - 2021 Editorial credit: Michael Vi / Shutterstock.com about police recruitment, hiring stan dards and educational requirements for policeSinceforces.theearly 1900s, public leaders have heralded college-educated officers as ideal candidates. The assumption is that departments would then be composed of officers who serve communities fairly while reserving potentially deadly actions for only the direst circumstances. We can only speculate on the underly ing reasons for our study’s findings. But a key contribution of this research is that it clarifies several questions regarding college education policies in law enforcement, making it a valuable tool for police administrators. For one, our study reveals that an asso ciate degree requirement, at minimum, shows the most promise for reducing the frequency of fatal police encounters. Next, as evidenced in our supplemental analysis, police agencies trying to reduce fatal confrontations should consider ways to recruit college-degreed appli cants while at the same time support col lege attendance among current officers. The final point is that the impact of a more educated police force may emerge during only the most dangerous encoun

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BY THADDEUS L. JOHNSON NATASHA N. JOHNSON

Haiti Sinking Deeper/ continued from page 1 soms, committing vile murders and even burning their victims – alive or dead. Even more disturbing, some gangs appear to have established links with politicians.Beyond the loss of control of law and order, the country is being governed, in name, by unelected officials with no independent judiciary or functioning national assembly. An accord among civil society groups and political players, fashioned in September 2021, has col lapsed. This makes fulfilment of the desire for a “Haitian-led” solution to the country’s problems most unlikely, and notWhatcredible.makes this situation worse is that Haiti has no strong institutions to support governance and to address the deep-seat ed problems of the country. Some nations – among them countries whose governments have contributed to the underdevelopment and weakness of Haiti – now conveniently hide behind the Haitian call for a “Haitian-led” solution, to do little or nothing. The United Nations (UN) withdrew its Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) in October 2017 after 13 years. Despite the dire situation which now exists, the UN Security Council opted to extend the mandate of its Integrated Office in Haiti (BINUH) until 15 July 2023, but not to expand it to tackle the spiral of violence, lawlessness, and the terror of armed gangs. Against this background, Luis Almagro, the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), issued a rousing public indictment of the “international community” and the selfinterested political elite in Haiti. Almagro minced no words when he declared: “The institutional crisis that Haiti is experiencing right now is a direct result of the actions taken by the coun try’s endogenous forces and by the inter national community”. He stated unequivocally that, “The last 20 years of the international community’s presence in Haiti has amounted to one of the worst and clearest failures implemented and executed within the framework of inter national cooperation”. To be clear, “the international community” in Haiti amounted to “a core group”, compromis ing the European Union, the UN, the OAS, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Spain and the United States of America. I publicly agreed with his assessment. It was the most honest and compelling statement by a high official of any regional or international institution ever issued, concerning Haiti. In agreeing with his statement, I interpreted his defi nition of the “international community” as including every country, every inter national financial and development insti tution, the United Nations and its organs, and the OAS itself. But I also recog nized then, what I later said in the Permanent Council of the OAS on August 17, when the Foreign Minister of Haiti, Jean Victor Généus, clearly prompted by Almagro’s statement, asked for a Whatmeeting.Isaid, in brief, was that “many Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. 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Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose. Fay. Isaias. Elsa. Henri. Ida. Carol. Edna. Connie. Diane. Donna. Agnes. Gloria. Floyd. Erin. Bob. Irene. Sandy. Joaquin. Hermine. Jose.

Sir Ronald Sanders is currently Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States and the Organization of American States.

The questions it raises are: who would provide the financing, which agency would be trusted to implement it, and will the power groups in Haiti, invite external help – and cooperate with it, including in the governance of the country – to bring the gangs under control, establish law and order, build up its education and health systems, stop corruption, promote investment, grow the economy and create jobs?These are questions, which must be addressed before Haiti sinks even deeper into an even bigger catastrophic humani tarian crisis than it has suffered so far. Haiti must become a priority on the agen da of all international and regional bod ies… now.

IsaiasElsaHenriIdaCarolEdnaConnieDianeDonnaAgnesGloriaFay.VisitNYC.gov/knowyourzoneorcall311tofindyourzoneandlearnwhattodotoprepareforhurricanesinNYC.#knowyourzoneHurricanesdon’twait.Neithershouldyou.Preparetoday.

VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC! 5ISLAND FOCUS: HAITI countries in the international community are perfectly innocent of what happens in Haiti or has happened there. There are others - both countries and institutionsthat have damaged Haiti irreparably over many years. Now, it is up to those coun tries to do something to correct the situa tion. Financial support is the obligation of those members of the international community with the resources to do so. And many of them, incidentally, bear responsibility for the situation in Haiti today”.Almagro is clearly right in saying, “… resources have to be provided to Haiti through an institutionalized process by the international community with a strong monitoring component and capac ity to combat corruption and prevent the resources from being diverted and mis used”.As I observed at the OAS meeting, Haiti cannot expect an international response to its needs “without some assurance that, within Haiti, there will be a collective, solidified position, both in terms of the requests they make, the cooperation they will give, and the open ness with which they will deal with the international community”. For his part, Foreign Minister Généus said that the Government has tried to pro mote dialogue, suggesting that its efforts have not been successful, but that “the Prime Minister will continue tirelessly in this quest for dialogue and consensus”. Of course, such a dialogue will not hap pen, nor will any agreement be sustained, unless there is good offices mediation to facilitate it and oversee the implementa tion of its agreements. Mediation cannot happen without an invitation from the Ariel Henry provisional government and the agreement of the other Haitian groups.Neighbouring countries are already struggling with the failure of the Haitian State. The Bahamas, with a population of 400,000, has an estimated 150,000 Haitian refugees in its territory. This year alone, the Bahamas Government has spent millions of dollars repatriating Haitian refugees. In the words of the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to the OAS, Josue Fiallo, the situation in Haiti “constitutes an unusual and extraor dinary threat to my country’s national security, foreign policy and economy”. And the US has deported or expelled thousands of Haitians, fleeing from their desperate conditions. In his statement of August 8, Almagro identified what amounts to a program of action to try to save Haiti. It includes: bringing violence under control and dis arming the gangs; providing technical and financial resources to address the current security situation; creating a cen tral mechanism to deploy assistance with out overlapping and wasteful efforts; a strong monitoring component to combat corruption; drafting a new Constitution that fixes deficiencies in the existing con stitution, including by establishing an autonomous Central Bank, an independ ent justice system, a functioning and effective education system; and invest ment to create employment and alleviate poverty.Fewwould disagree with this agenda.

Police Forces/ continued from page 4 ters that often precede the use of weapons.Thepositive effects of education mini mums are clear, based on our research. But we also made an alarming discov ery – Black residents were arrested four times more frequently in cities requiring a college degree for new officers. Indeed, more studies are needed. What still isn’t known Several critical gaps remain in our research on the value of higher education in policing. Available data on policecaused homicides, including the Fatal Encounters data that we used, do not pro vide reliable information on case disposi tions and whether the police actions were justified or not. Nor do the available statistics tell us anything about police actions that do not result in death. Also, we used college degree require ments to estimate the educational com position of police departments. Ideally, we would examine the actual number of college-degreed officers in police agencies. Such national data remain unavailable.l

Thaddeus L. Johnson is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University Natasha N. Johnson is a Clinical Instructor of Criminal Justice and Criminology, Georgia State University

To remain in compliance with the law, OAG recommends landlords and proper ty owners refrain from requesting a potential tenant’s court records and rental histories altogether and cease relation ships with tenant screening bureaus who continue to provide court records. Any New Yorker who believes that they have been denied an apartment because of their rental history should submit a tenant blacklisting complaint online with OAG.

Attorney General James Cracks Down on Tenant Blacklisting 6DIASPORA CONCERNS

This agreement is the latest in Attorney General James’ efforts to protect ten ants.l

Attorney General Letitia James Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

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NEW YORK: New York Attorney General Letitia James on August 17 continued her efforts to pro tect New York tenants by cracking down on “tenant blacklisting,” or when land lords use housing court records as a basis to deny a potential tenant’s rental appli cation. Tenant blacklisting was made ille gal in 2019 following changes to the Real Property Law, which outlawed efforts to deny housing to renters with a history of landlord-tenant court cases. As a part of her efforts to eliminate tenant blacklist ing in New York, Attorney General James took action against, and secured a settlement with, Clipper Equity, LLC (Clipper Equity), a New York City real estate company that denied applicants with past housing court records and vio lated city and state Human Rights Laws by requiring applicants to disclose their marital status. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has also launched an online complaint form for New Yorkers to report instances in which landlords have engaged in tenant blacklisting.

In 2019, the enactment of the New York Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act (HSTPA) made it illegal for a prop erty owner or landlord to deny a rental application based on the applicant’s housing court records. If there is docu mented evidence that a property owner or landlord obtained an applicant’s housing court records and subsequently denied the application, the law presumes the landlord or property owner made the decision to deny based on the applicant’s court records. The burden is on the land lord or property owner to prove the appli cant was denied for other reasons.

In its investigation of Clipper Equity, OAG determined the company had improperly obtained housing court records for 25 potential tenants and then denied housing to seven of those same applicants. The OAG found that Clipper thus violated the law. Clipper also violat ed city and state Human Rights laws by requiring potential tenants to disclose their marital status. As part of the agree ment, Clipper Equity will take the neces sary steps to comply with the laws it broke and has committed to ending its discriminatory screening policies. Clipper Equity was also required to pro duce evidence proving its compliance to OAG, and OAG reserves the right to take further enforcement action if Clipper Equity violates the agreement.

“I was proud that we enacted New York’s ban on tenant blacklists as part of the Housing Stability and Tenant Protection Act of 2019,” said State Senator Brian Kavanagh, Chair of the State Senate Committee on Housing, Construction, and Community Development. “Reasons tenants might be in housing court vary, including cases in which landlords fail to provide basic services or engage in harassment, or when tenants are unable to pay rent because of emergency circumstances. Whatever the reason, the law requires that prior housing court cases may not be the basis for rejecting prospective ten ants’ applications to rent a home. I thank Attorney General Letitia James for her investigation into the discriminatory practices of Clipper Equity and for taking the proactive step of setting up an online complaint platform to give voice to New Yorkers who may have fallen victim to blacklisting. Both are important steps toward strengthening our commitment to fair access to housing for all.”

“Fair access to housing is a human right. No one should ever be denied that right due to previous, private circum stances often beyond their control, such as an inability to pay rent during a public health and economic crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Attorney General James. “Let this be a reminder to all New York landlords — blacklisting prospective tenants because of their housing court history is an unfair and illegal practice, and it will not go unchecked. I have always stood up for tenants, and my office will continue to fight tenant discrimination and ensure lawless landlords are held accountable.”

Foundation Problems? Here's What to Do If You're Worried

Like in a relationship, the founda tion of a house is integral, and must be strong. There are many reasons why a house's foundation might crack or shift – including temperature variances in the soil surrounding it, since earth expands in heat and contracts in cold. But whatever the reason, there are certain steps to follow when addressing concerns about your house's foundation.

Confirm The Problem, If There's Time

About Your Home's Foundation

If you find a crack that has you worried, but isn't an insurmountable gap, take the time to coat it with concrete waterproof ing paint. Then keep an eye on it. If the crack reappears after the paint has dried, it means the gap that produced the crack is growing and should be addressed. If you suspect water drainage problems, try shutting down all water-using appliances in your home. Then watch the water meter for 6 to 12 hours. If the levels change in that time, your water is finding another way out of the house. Finally, if you suspect a sloping floor, rest a tennis ball on it and look for rolling.

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Fix The Problem, If It's Small Sometimes DIY methods can be used to address small issues, like little cracks (ones not in the foundation itself, but in walls or floors). Fill them with a vinyl concrete patch, or a similar product. Be sure the material you use is flexible and can move a little, because the concrete will – it slightly expands and contracts to keep stable. Call For Reinforcements! That said, the absolute best method of dealing with foundation problems is to call in reinforcements, because even suc cessful DIY fixes are temporary. And because, even though it will cost a little more, the money is worth it to prevent your house from collapsing! Reach out to a foundational specialist or a structural engineer if there are any signs that have you worried about a shifting or crum bling foundation. If you have more in-depth questions, or want advice on a foundational specialist, talk to your trusted real estate agent at Equity Smart Realty Inc. who would be happy to offer guidance. Call 888-6706791. l Realty consulfor888-670-6791ataFREEtation.

26 Court Street, Suite 701, Downtown Brooklyn Call 888-670-6791 Call Equity Smart

Prevent The Problem, If Possible First, whenever possible act to prevent problems before they arise. Make it a habit to check for foundational stress by taking a walk through your basement and around the outside of your home. Signs of a problem include cracks in the foun dation itself (particularly horizontal ones larger than a hairline), uneven or sloping floors, doors or windows that won't open or close properly anymore, and water damage (puddles or moisture in the wood) that signals improper drainage.

Biden also extended the pause on repaying federal student loan debt through Dec. 31, 2022, and has pro posed a cap on income that can be used to calculate how much borrowers repay through income-driven repayment.

We asked three experts to explain the decision and its impact.

The Biden administration’s plan is an important step that I believe will make a real difference in many people’s lives.

The White House estimates that about 20 million of the nation’s roughly 43 million student debt holders will see their entire balanceDespitecanceled.thisconsiderable impact, the plan is still limited. I hope it’s just the beginning in much-needed policy con versations about debt and education in the United States. For one thing, Biden’s plan cuts less than 20% of America’s $1.75 trillion stu dent debt tab. In addition, the income cap of $125,000 class while ignoring the roles structural racism and sexism play in terms of who borrows and how much. For example, Black women borrow about $38,000 on average to finance their education, com pared with $30,000 for white men. And because interest on student loans quickly accumulates, most Black female borrow ers still owe their original balance 20 years after enrolling in school. By com parison, most white borrowers have paid off their loans completely within that timeTheperiod.Biden administration will have to do more if it aims to adequately address these and the many other remaining structural problems with debt and educa tion.

Dominique Baker, Assistant Professor of Education Policy, Southern Methodist University When approximately 10,000 student loan borrowers had their private student loans randomly canceled from 2010 to 2017, researchers found that it ultimately enabled them to more easily move, change jobs and earn more money. The borrowers were also 11% less likely to default on credit cards or other loans.

Plan extends much-needed relief to Black borrowers

Terri Friedline, Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Michigan

Relief makes real difference but ignores structural issues

• NYC’s expanded speed camera law took effect on August 1, 2022.

I expect similar outcomes will flow from the Biden administration’s decision to cancel federal student loans. And the decision to cancel up to $20,000 for that even more relief may flow to bor rowers who are Black. From the standpoint of racial justice, I believe this additional relief for Black borrowers is necessary because of cen turies of systemic inequities. Such inequities include accumulating educa tion debt through “predatory inclusion,” a practice in which Black people are offered access to things like college or buying a house but on exploitative finan cial terms that have long-term negative effects.Black student loan borrowers are also often the most burdened by student loan debt. As one example, Black bachelor’s degree earners are more likely to default on their student loans than white students who earn a bachelor’s degree – 21% ver sus 4%, respectively. Even more star tling, Black bachelor’s degree recipients default at a higher rate than white stu dents who leave college with no degree –21% versus 18%, respectively. The Biden administration also has pro posed changes to the income-driven repayment plan, which should help future undergraduate borrowers by reducing the monthly percentage of dis cretionary income borrowers would pay from 10% to 5% and increasing what counts as nondiscretionary income. That means borrowers will have more money that will not be used to calculate the per centage they owe each month.

• The law allows NYC to issue speed camera violations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round. New York NY USA-April 25, 2012: “Master of Degrees” joins students and supporters at a rally in Union Square Park the day that student loan debt is expected to reach $1 trillion. Editorial credit: rblfmr / Shutterstock.com continued on 9

Student Loan Forgiveness/ continued from page 1 loans. The plan would offer up to US$10,000 in forgiveness for people who earn less than $125,000 – $250,000 for couples – and up to $20,000 for Pell Grant recipients.

page

#SpeedCamerasSaveLivesnyc.gov/dot

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MONEY MATTERS

VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC! 9MONEY MATTERS Student Loan Forgiveness/ continued from page 8 GET YOUR BANKRUPTCY CONSULTATIONDocumentsRequired: *List of debts *Your most recent tax returns *Correspondence from creditors *Lawsuit documents *Social Security and ID *List of assets Save Your: *Home *Health *Business *Peace of Mind/Health *Car *Marriage/Relationship Filing a Chapter 7, 11 or 13 bankruptcy may be your only choice!!! Get the legal help you need NOW! Call 718-222-3155! The Law Offices of Figeroux & Associates, 26 Court Street, Suite 701, Brooklyn, NY. Visit www.311bankruptcy.com Creditors’ Harassments! Lawsuits! Foreclosures! Call 718-222-3155 for a consultation today! I’d argue there is still work to be done to create an affordable college education. But today was an excellent start. Loan forgiveness could fuel inflation John W. Diamond, Director of the Baker Institute’s Center for Public Finance, Rice University The price tag for Biden’s debt forgive ness plan is estimated at a little more than $300Whilebillion.itwill provide direct financial benefits for some people who currently owe money on federal student loans, I believe there will be another cost: higher inflation.U.S.inflation is already rising at just below the fastest annual pace in 40 years, prompting the Federal Reserve to aggres sively hike interest rates to reduce it, even at the risk of recession. Biden’s plan will make the central bank’s job tougher. The upward pressure on inflation will result from increased spending by those who see their student debts reduced, as well as from the continuing moratorium on federal loan repayments. This higher demand for consumer goods – relative to a world without debt relief or a repay ment moratorium – has the effect of driv ing up prices for current goods and serv ices.The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget found that a similar though more modest version of debt for giveness would lead to a measurable increase in spending on personal con sumption, which would have the effect of driving up prices for all consumers. That was based on a plan to spend roughly $230 billion on debt forgiveness – at least $70 billion less than Biden’s plan.

Another side effect could be that Biden’s debt relief offers incentives to students entering or currently in college to take on additional debt in anticipation of future rounds of forgiveness. Economists call this moral hazard. Other research found that increases in student borrowing can result in bigger tuition increases.Someresearch has pointed to positive economic outcomes for those who receive debt relief, such as less future indebtedness, greater job mobility and higher salaries. But these effects are based on a full discharge of student debt and not an incremental reduction like the one Biden Ultimately,announced.loanforgiveness – whatev er its merits – will likely lead to larger federal deficits and higher inflation. While it benefits those with student loan debt, those benefits should be weighed against the costs it imposes on others and the economy.

Terri Friedline is an Associate Professor of Social Work, University of Michigan. Dominique Baker is an Assistant Professor of Education Policy, Southern Methodist University. John W. Diamond is the Director, Center for Public Finance at Rice University's Baker Institute, Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance, Adjunct Professor of Economics, Rice University

WANTED:AGENTSESTATEREAL APPLYNOW! It's time to make a career choice that you will LOVE. Send equitysmartrealty.comresumeyourtoinfo@

Alyssa's Law Compliance: What Parents and Educators Need to Know

In February 2019, Alyssa Alhadeff was killed in a mass shooting at the Marjorie Stoneman Douglass High School in Parkland, Florida. Her mother and father, Lori and Ilan Alhadeff, have established a foundation in her memory, and have advocated for the adoption of silent panic alarm systems in school buildings. The implementation of an alert directly to all law enforcement in the area of a school can save precious minutes in an active shooter situation and allow for immedi ate police response.

In an effort to better protect public schools, Alyssa's Law requires all public schools to install silent panic buttons in their facilities. These panic alarms are connected directly to local law enforce ment, facilitating a faster response time should a security incident take place.

June 23, 2022 - New York City —. Governor Kathy Hochul holds up the 135-page U.S. Supreme Court ruling against New York’s current concealed carry law. (Kevin P. Coughlin / Office of Governor Kathy Hochul)

School security is a growing con cern for parents and educators everywhere. In today's troubling reality, panic alarms and school shooting drills are part and parcel of the educa tional experience, and several laws have been passed to keep children safer at home and give schools the guidance they need to do their jobs more effectively.

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Alyssa's Law Requirements The purpose of Alyssa's Law is to improve the safety of public schools by decreasing response times. The thinking behind the law is that a faster response by local law enforcement personnel can save lives, and there is ample evidence to back up that assertion.

On June 23, 2022, Governor Kathy Hochul signed Alyssa's Law (S.7132B/A.10018), requiring schools to consider the use of silent panic alarm systems when conducting review and development of their school safety plans. The Governor signed the bill alongside Alyssa's parents, Lori and Ilan Alhadeff, other members of Alyssa's family, State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Assemblymember Ken Zebrowski, Assemblymember Mike Benedetto, Hampton Bays School District Superintendent Lars Clemensen, and United Federation of Teachers President Michael Mulgrew.

What is Alyssa's Law? One of these new laws is known as Alyssa's Law, a safety-specific piece of regulation designed to improve response times by law enforcement when schoolrelated safety issues take place. More specifically, Alyssa's Law mandates that all public schools have processes in place to discreetly alert local law enforcement in the event of a shooting or other safety incident.Thanks to the passage of Alyssa's Law, public schools are now equipped with panic buttons, panic alarms and other essential safety equipment, so educators can call for help without putting students and staff at further risk. In the age of school shootings and enhanced school security, this kind of discretion could lit erally mean the difference between life and death.

"I am proud of the work we have done to pass a nation-leading bill package to crack down on the scourge of gun vio lence, but this is an ongoing fight and we cannot stop there," Governor Hochul said. "We will continue to take aggres sive action until every child in New York is safe to pursue an education without the fear of senseless tragedy. That's why I am proud to put pen to paper on Alyssa's Law, a real and meaningful piece of leg islation that will require school districts to evaluate systems that can save pre cious minutes — and lives — in the event of an active shooter situation." CAMPBELL

l BY MARY

Be sure to remember their vaccines.

Eric AshwinMayorAdamsVasan, MD, PhD Commissioner

NEW YORK: New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David C. Banks, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Manuel Castro, and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Gary Jenkins on August 18, announced ‘Project Open Arms’ a comprehensive plan to support families seeking asylum and ensure chil dren are provided a full range of services to start their New York City public edu cation on the first day of school next month. This multi-agency plan highlights wraparound services to ensure asylumseeking families and their children will have access to critical academic, socialemotional, and language-based supports needed to be successful in New York City public schools. Under the plan, the city is prioritizing strong interagency collaboration to pro vide families with a broad range of resources. DOE has been working in close coordination with its agency part ners, including MOIA and DSS, to con nect families with the resources they need in preparation for the start of the school year on September 8th.

Vaccines are required for children to stay in school and day care.

You remembered their books. You remembered their forms. You remembered their schedules.

They’re safe and reduce the risk of severe preventable illnesses, like measles, polio, and chickenpox. COVID-19 vaccines are now recommended for children 6 months and older. Talk to your child’s health care provider or visit nyc.gov/health and search “student vaccines” or call 311 for information on immunization requirements.

“New York City is committed to wel coming individuals and families seeking refuge and liberty, which is why our staff has been on the ground every day helping to connect new arrivals to resources,” said MOIA Commissioner Castro. “With Mayor Eric Adams Editorial credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

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EDUCATION Project Open Arms: Comprehensive Support Plan to Meet Educational Needs of Families Seeking Asylum

continued on page 12

“Our city has been, and will always be, a city of immigrants that welcomes new comers with open arms,” said Mayor Adams. “‘Project Open Arms’ ensures we are well-prepared to assist asylumseekers as the school year begins and that we are offering wraparound services to students and families. With strong col laboration with our partners, both in and out of government, this plan highlights how we can lead with compassion and ‘Get Stuff Done’ for those who need it most.”“Project Open Arms is a multi-agency effort that will provide children and fam ilies seeking asylum with the services they need to thrive,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. “It is critical to equip these students with the full range of aca demic, language access, and social-emo tional resources to succeed as they adjust to a new and unfamiliar environment. We are grateful to our sister agencies and community-based partners for their hero ic efforts to assist these families, and look forward to deepening this work as we prepare for the start of the school year.”“Our public schools are prepared to welcome families seeking asylum with open arms,” said DOE Chancellor Banks. “Our city has always stood with those in need of refuge and shelter, and this administration will continue that proud legacy. We are working alongside our agency partners to set students up for success by addressing their academic, emotional, and social needs, and ensur ing there is no disruption to their educa tion. Our schools are ready and excited to welcome our newest New Yorkers to class on September 8th.”

•Ensuring Language Access and Support – In collaboration with superintendents, DOE is ensuring that all families are being supported in their native languages and that school leadership is aware of the constellation of resources available to provide translated content-specific infor •Providingmation.

l Project Open Arms/ continued from page 11 Orientation is Monday, September 12, 2022 Join us via Zoom at 6pm

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According to the most recent analysis, most asylum-seeking families are con centrated in School Districts 2, 3, 10, 14, 24, and 30. As of Thursday, August 18, DSS estimates that at least 1,000 chil dren, including 3- and 4-year-olds, will enter the city’s school system in the upcoming school year.

As part of this plan, the city is: · Seamlessly Working Across Agencies –‘Project Open Arms’ coordinates across DOE, MOIA, DSS, the New York City Department of Youth & Community Development, and the New York City Administration for Children’s Services.

the start of the school year approaching, we are prepared to assist families enter ing the school system, providing a broad range of supports, including language access and legal services, in close collab oration with agency and communitybased organization partners.”

Academic and Extracurricular Programming – New York City public school curricular and instructional resources will be culturally and linguistically responsive, and educa tors will receive additional guidance in the areas of second language acquisition and specialized instruction for diverse learners. Extracurricular activities will be similarly targeted to students’ needs and interests, with the goal of enhancing the academic and social experience.

•Creating Supportive Classrooms and Schools – Once they are enrolled in school, every student will have access to universal social-emotional supports and will be evaluated using the DESSA social-emotional screener, an educational tool to assess students’ social and emo tional needs. School leadership and staff will have regular check-ins to review attendance and DESSA data and ensure interventions and supports are activated as •Continuousneeded.

Coordination with Community Providers and CommunityBased Organizations (CBO) – ‘Project Open Arms’ will work in tight coordina tion with critical CBO partners, including the United Way of New York City, Make the Road New York, Comprehensive Youth Development, El Puente, United Community Schools, the Coalition for Hispanic Family Services, and other organizations to provide families with critical resources and services. Since May, the city has experienced a surge in people seeking asylum arriving from border states. Many have entered the city’s shelter system, while others have found housing through family members, friends, or sponsors. Additionally, community groups have helped reticket individuals to their final destinations outside of New York City. The city estimates that approximately 6,000 asylum-seekers have gone through the intake process in the last three months.

“Despite unprecedented challenges, this administration is going above and beyond to serve and support families seeking asylum,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Gary P. Jenkins. “We are incredibly grateful to our agency partners for working closely with us on this extraordinary initiative to provide dedicated supports for these families and children and ensuring that we are prioritizing academic progress and learning for some of our youngest, new New Yorkers. We will continue to lead with care and compassion in all that we do, and our every effort to support families and individuals seeking asylum and in need of our services will reflect the true values of New York City.”

·Simplifying the Enrollment Process –Regional managers and their teams in DOE’s Students in Temporary Housing Office are fully engaged in coordinating with shelters to host pop-up Family Welcome Centers (where DOE staff assist families with the school enrollment process), accompanying families to Family Welcome Centers, and providing enrollment staff at the Asylum Seeker Navigation Center (which will provide asylum seekers with access to and infor mation about a full range of wraparound services) as soon as it opens. Staff imme diately identify local schools for enroll ment, provide backpacks and school sup plies, and assist in connecting families to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene clinics for ongoing pediatric care. For virtual enrollment support, families are encouraged to visit the DOE’s website.

EDUCATION

A data tool developed by TRAC ana lyzes multiple years of court records

What Does Legal Representation Look Like in Immigration Courts Across the Country?

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obtained from the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). According to TRAC, 44% of the 5.6 million individuals who appeared in immigration court between February 2002 and February 2022 were represent ed. More recent data reveals a sharp dis parity in representation rates exists depending on the state where the immi gration hearing takes place. In Florida, a state with 278,360 pending cases in July 2022—the highest number of pending immigration court cases of any state in the country—the odds of a person appearing with an attorney in immigra tion court was an abysmal 28.2%. In con trast, New York—a state with a similarly large number of pending cases (approxi mately 177,588)—the odds of a person appearing with an attorney is a much higherAnother71.7%.setof statistics tell the story of representation rates for families seeking asylum between ports of entry at the bor der. Many families are placed on a “ded icated docket”—a docket designed, according to the Biden administration, to quickly resolve the families’ cases. Even though the law permits an asylum seeker to file for asylum within one-year of their last arrival, the dedicated docket aims to complete a case in under 300 days. Given the absence of universal representation, and the complexity involved in most asy lum cases, this is a breakneck pace. March 2022 statistics released by EOIR indicate that 89 % of dedicated docket cases were represented in individual hearings. This might appear high at first glance. The representation rates are much lower, however, for individuals at master calendar hearings—initial hearings that take place before a person presents their full case at an individual hearing.

continued on page 14

The lack of a major overhaul in the United States’ immigration sys tem for roughly thirty years has created an ecosystem where states have attempted to insert their authority over immigration, especially when it comes to enforcement. Texas has made headlines with its tougher approach and outsized role in shaping America’s immigration enforcement policy, while some states have adopted policies to create more welcoming communities. So, when it comes to certain functions of immigra tion policy, it is worth asking “Whose role is it anyways?”agreements. But these programs are voluntary. And due to the controversial nature of these pro grams, many communities throughout the country have implemented policies that prohibit cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigra tion authorities, because such coopera tion uses state taxpayer dollars for feder al enforcement and ultimately makes communities less safe. It might seem like a straightforward statistic: 44% of individuals who appear in deportation proceedings have an immi gration attorney. But it’s not so simple. Instead, it is a number that must factor in deportation cases that proceed on expedited timelines and the reality that a person may retain counsel only for a spe cific stage of a case. The number also changes significantly depending on the location of the immigration court. Legal representation in immigration proceed ings is actually quite complex. Depending on how you look at the num bers, the rates of representation can look significantly different.

WASHINGTON: Hispanic Federation welcomes the Biden administration’s new rule for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which codifies the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) memo that created the program in 2012. However, we continue to call on the Biden admin istration and Congress to deliver mean ingful, permanent protections for all undocumented immigrants.

Moreover, the upcoming opinion from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, a con servative majority court that has been hostile toward publicly supported immi gration policies in the past, could end DACA and devastate millions of families across the nation. That decision will also impact the 80,000 first-time DACA applicants who are in limbo as a result of Judge Hanen’s decision in 2021.

Hispanic Federation: New DACA is a Step Forward, Congress Must Pass Protections Without Posed by model. A Penington Institute Initiative

But

Permanent

Further Delay someone’s brother Stock photo.

This year alone, almost 100,000 undoc umented youth graduated without DACA protections, without fundamental tools like work permits and protection from removal - all things that would raise their chances for success in our communities.

Legal Representation/ continued from page 13

Regulation

PUT YOUR FUTURE IN OUR HANDS. WE CAN HELP. CALL NOW. 718-222-3155. Remember: The lawyer you hire, does make a difference! Get legal advice from the law firm you can trust: Figeroux & Associates. We handle: nDUI (Driving Under the Influence) nCourt Order Violations nPossession of Drugs (with or without Intent to Distribute) nCrimes with Impact for Deportation with Non-Citizens nFraud nCrimes of Economics Are you under investigation or accused of a felony misdemeanor?or IN WITHTROUBLETHELAW?

“This is a positive step toward protect ing hundreds of thousands of Dreamers who are vital for our communities, our economy, and the future of our country. However, it is not enough. This regula tion does not make any meaningful changes to update the program, expand eligibility, or provide protections for undocumented immigrants prevented from qualifying for the program due to

DACA has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals who were able to finish school, apply for work permits, live, thrive — and dream —without fear of deportation or family separation. The future of these undocu

United States as children should not be tossed from one court battle to another. They deserve better. The Biden administration and Congress must pass bold and meaningful per manent protections for all undocu mented immigrants without further delay,” said Frankie Miranda, President and CEO of Hispanic Federation. Editorial credit: Christopher Penler /

Many cases never make it to the individ ual hearing stage. Language barriers pre vent some cases from moving beyond a master calendar hearing—like if a person is ordered to file their asylum application in English and they are unable to do so. In fact, the total number of pending dedicat ed docket cases in March 2022 was 68,858 and the representation rate for all those cases was an extremely low 28%. Only 1,479 cases were at the individual hearing stage when the March statistics were released, making the 89% represen tation rate for that relatively small number of cases unimpressive. The situation for detained immigrants is even worse. A study found only 14% of detained immigrants go to court with lawyers by their side. Representation rates matter because people are five times more likely to obtain legal protection if they have counsel. They also advance this nation’s values of due process and support efficiency in the legal system. This is why the Biden administration and Congress must work to create pro grams that guarantee legal representation for people facing removal instead of leav ing it up to chance and access to wealth.

Written by Emily Creighton of the American Immigration Council and Jennifer Whitlock of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

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VISIT WWW.CAWNYC.COM FOR THE LATEST CARIBBEAN NEWS, IMMIGRATION UPDATES, VIEWPOINTS, ENTERTAINMENT & MORE! LIKE US ON FACEBOOK @CAWNYC! nHEALTH nENTERTAINMENT nRELATIONSHIPS nRECIPES nSPORTS nHOROSCOPE Pineapple Sangria Easy sangria recipe that can be easily altered based on fruit you have on hand and personal taste. AllRecipes.com Member Ingredients 2 (750 milliliter) bottles Sauvignon Blanc 2 cups pineapple juice 1 cup triple sec ½ cup brandy ½ cup chopped fresh pineapple ½ cup chopped orange 1 lemon, seeded and chopped ¼ cup chopped lime 2 cups lemon-lime flavored car bonated beverage Kitchen Corner

Soca Sensation DESTRA,

The Queen of Bacchanal to Headline Queens Carnival

Directions Step 1 Mix Sauvignon Blanc, pineapple juice, triple sec, and brandy together in a large pitcher. Add chopped pineapple, orange, lemon, and lime. Cover and refrigerate, 8 hours to overnight. Step 2 Stir in lemon-lime soda before serving.

Per Serving: 383 calories; protein 0.8g; carbohydrates 38.5g; fat 0.3g; sodium 26mg. l

Carnival Parade - 11 a.m. Laugh, Dash, Splash Boardwalk Race - 9:30 a.m. - 11 a.m. Sand Castle Building Contest - 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. Fireworks Display Beginning at Sundown (sponsored by City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. Brooks Powers)l

In 2003 Destra released her first album Red, White, Black which included her hit duet "It's Carnival" with fellow Soca artist Machel Montano. The song became the virtual anthem of Trinidad and Tobago carnival that year and is widely known throughout the Caribbean and the world.TheQueens Carnval is co-sponsored by Assembly Member Khaleel Anderson and City Council Majority Whip Selvena N. ThisBrooks-Powers.yeartheQueens Carnival is pre sented in partnership with the West Indian American Day Carnival Association (WIADCA), Rockaway Development Revitalization Corporation (RDRC), REMA4US, DredSurfer Grill, New York City Parks Department, New York Police Department's 101st Police Precinct, and the Queens Carnival Committee members.

We are proud to announce that Destra Garcia — the Queen of Bacchanal — will be headlin ing the Queens Carnival 2022 hosted by Senator James Sanders Jr. Destra Garcia is a Trinidadian musician, singer and songwriter of soca music. She is also known simply as Destra. She is one of the most popular female soca artists in the world. Destra is perhaps best known for her hit song, "Lucy." Destra is often called the Queen of Bacchanal because of the excitement lis teners hear in her voice when she appears on radio talk-shows and because of carni val-inspired event she created called the "Festival of Bacchanal.”

The Queens Carnival will take place on Saturday, August 27, 2022 starting at 11 a.m., starting at Mott Avenue and Beach 21st Street and ending on the boardwalk at Beach 17th Street.

"We are so proud to have a superstar of the magnitude of Destra as the crown jewel of our Queens Carnival," said Senator Sanders. "We are expecting Destra to give one of her usual, energyfilled, dance-inducing performances."

Nutrition Facts

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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced on August 15 the appointment of Simon Stiell of Grenada as Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The appointment has been made after consultation with the Conference of Parties through its Bureau.Hewill succeed Patricia Espinosa of Mexico to whom the Secretary-General is grateful for her commitment and dedi cated service to the Organization. The Secretary-General also wishes to extend his appreciation to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, Ibrahim Thiaw, who will continue to serve as Acting Executive Secretary of UNFCCC until Mr. Stiell assumes this position.Mr.Stiell, a true champion for formu lating creative approaches for our collec tive global response to the climate crisis, brings to the position a unique skillset developed over a thirty-three-year career, coupled with vast experience in bilateral, regional and multilateral affairs.Mr.Stiell served as senior minister in the Government of Grenada from 2013 through June 2022, holding the portfolio of Minister for Climate Resilience and the Environment for five years. He pre viously served as Minister for Education and Human Resource Development, Minister of State with responsibility for human resource development and the environment and as a Parliamentary Secretary within the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries. He also served as a member of Grenada’s Upper House of Parliament, the Senate, where he served as Leader of Government Business. Prior to joining government, Mr. Stiell’s career spanned some fourteen years within the technology sector, hold ing senior executive positions in a num ber of industry leading companies, from Silicon Valley based technology startups to major corporations, including Nokia and GEC Plessey Telecommunications.Mr.Stielloriginally trained as an engi neer at London Metropolitan University and College of North West London, and holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Westminster in the United Kingdom.

African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey made its much-anticipated New York premiere on Wednesday, August 17, 2022, which will also mark Marcus Garvey’s 135th birth day.Prior to the screening, New York State Senator Cordell Cleare issued a procla mation declaring the day “Marcus Garvey Day”, the first such edict since the late Percy E. Sutton’s pronouncement in 1972.Filmed in Jamaica, Ghana, Canada, United States, United Kingdom, and Central America, this docu-drama blends live-action sequences and stunning still photographs, with no-holds-barred inter views and conversations that shed a new light on Marcus Garvey’s significance. Luminaries from academia, and the film, television, and music industry weigh in on this iconic yet controversial leader who landed squarely in the crosshairs of the F.B.I. and other govern ment agencies around the world. Sharing the influence of Garvey’s philosophy on their life and work are Dr. Julius Garvey, the youngest son of Marcus Garvey, Oscar®-winner Louis Gossett, Jr., and Ilyasah Shabazz, the third daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz. Retired U. S. Congressman Charles Rangel, and film director Sam Pollard also share their perspectives. Jamaican Olympic sprinting icon Usain Bolt and Grammy®- winner Sean Paul make cameoEmmy®appearances.award-winning actor Keith David (Greenleaf, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Crash) lends his voice as the narrator of this 85-minute feature-length documen tary-film which took home the Best Documentary Award at the recently con cluded Zanzibar International Film Festival.ThisSpecial Harlem Week presentation at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater inside Marcus Garvey Park, is a produc tion of Roy Anderson’s NJ-based compa ny Black Star Line Films, and Jazzmobile/Summerfest, in association with the 20th Annual Imagenation Outdoors. Anderson will be in atten dance to introduce the film.

The U Report Steering Committees from the OECS, Barbados, and Trinidad and Tobago met in Barbados for a Training Workshop from August 17th to 19th 2022, to build the capacity of U Report Ambassadors with in the Eastern Caribbean area. The Workshop, that was held at the Lloyd Erksine Sandiford Center in Barbados, was supported by the OECS Commission and UNICEF. Several U Report Ambassadors from across the Eastern Caribbean also participated virtually. The aim of the workshop was to assist the Steering Committees and U Report Ambassadors in acquiring knowledge and training that would contribute to increased visibility, mobilization and impact of the U Report Platform. The areas of training included partner ships, communications and outreach, poll development, research and data analysis, and monitoring and evaluation. Thereafter, members of the U Report Steering Committee applied the concepts learned to further develop strategies to mobilize youth and proliferate social impact in the Eastern Caribbean.

Photo courtesy: OECS Press Room

Hon Marcus Garvey

BY ANNE JAMAICANS.COMTHORNLEY-BROWN

Roy T. Anderson, veteran movie and television stuntman, pre miered his award-winning docu mentary, African Redemption: The Life and Legacy of Marcus Garvey, at a free outdoor screening in Harlem, NY. This ground-breaking film produced by his production company, Black Star Line Films, chronicles the journey of civil rights activist Marcus Garvey. Garvey influenced notable Americans including civil rights leaders Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, whose parents were staunch Garvey supporters.

Keith David, Narrates Feature Documentary About Marcus Garvey, Jamaica’s Famed Black Nationalist

Dr. Carlene Radix, OECS Head of Human and Social Division, applauded the U Report team for their execution of the event. She stated that: “The U Report Ambassadors organised an excellent event with the support of the OECS Commission and UNICEF, and I look forward to exciting things ahead for the U-Report platform.”

ChiefClimateNextStiellSimonMinisterGrenadianFormertobeUN

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OECS Commission and UNICEF Support Capacity Building of U Report Ambassadors in the Eastern Caribbean

The oral polio vaccine, originally devel oped by Albert Sabin, uses a live but weakened poliovirus that one swallows in a sugar cube or droplet. Scientists weaken – or attenuate – the virus so it can no longer cause disease. The other kind of polio vaccine was originally developed by Jonas Salk. It contains inactivated, dead virus. It is administered by an injection. In the U.S., children receive the inacti vated polio vaccine at 2, 4 and 6 months of age. It provides nearly complete pro tection from paralytic polio. How can the live vaccine lead to a case of polio? The weakened form of the live virus in the oral vaccine cannot cause disease. However, because the vaccine is given orally, the weakened virus is excreted in the feces and can spread from someone who is vaccinated to their close contacts. If the weakened virus circulates person to person for long enough, it can mutate and regain its ability to cause paralysis. The mutated virus can then infect peo ple in communities with poor sanitation and low vaccination rates, causing dis ease and even paralysis. This is an exceedingly rare occurrence. With more than 10 billion doses of the oral polio vaccine administered since 2000, there have been fewer than 800 cases of vaccine-derived polio reported. Apparently, the current patient in New York was somehow exposed to a mutated poliovirus that had been transmitted after vaccination overseas. Earlier this sum mer, routine surveillance spotted vac cine-derived poliovirus in London’s sewage system, but no cases have been reported there. Why use the oral vaccine anywhere if it comes with this risk? There’s a positive aspect to the fact that the weakened live virus can circulate in the community once oral vaccine recipi ents shed it in their feces. Traveling a feces-to-oral route, it can help induce immunity even in people who weren’t directly vaccinated. The oral polio vac cine is also cheaper and easier to admin ister than inactivated polio vaccines. Most importantly, the live-virus vaccine stops transmission of wild poliovirus in a way that the inactivated-virus vaccine does not. The eradication of polio in the Americas, Europe and Africa has been accomplished solely through the use of the live oral vaccine. Once polio has been wiped from a continent, then it is safe to stop using the oral live vaccine and use only the inactivated vaccine, which does prevent disease in recipients and does not pose the rare risk of vaccine-derived par alytic polio. A new and safer oral polio vaccine that has been engineered not to mutate is now replacing the earlier live-virus vaccine. Thus, even this extremely rare complica tion of polio vaccination should soon become a thing of the past. How close is the world to eradicating polio? Thanks to tremendous global effort, two of the three viruses that cause polio have been eradicated. The world is now on the verge of eradicating the final one, wild poliovirus 1 (WPV1). Today endemic polio is found only in Pakistan, with 12 cases of paralytic polio so far in 2022, and Afghanistan, with just one case this year. Africa has two cases, imported from overseas, which are being contained by additional vaccination cam paigns.Once wild poliovirus has been eradicat ed from the planet, vaccination efforts may be able to switch to the inactivated polio vaccine, eliminating the risk of any future vaccine-derived cases.l William Petri is an infectious disease specialist and chair of the World Health Organization’s Polio Research Committee. He is aldo a Professor of Medicine, University of Virginia

Statement from Speaker Adrienne Adams and Health Committee Chair Lynn Schulman on Detection of Polio in New York City

What are the two kinds of polio vac cine? Vaccines introduce a harmless version of a pathogen to your body. The idea is that they train your immune system to fight off the real germ if you ever encounter it.

“Today we learned polio was detected in New York City’s wastewater, sug gesting that the virus is circulating. As we continue to grapple with COVID-19 and Monkeypox, we now face another public health risk, but the defense is simple and proven. It is imperative that all New Yorkers make sure they have received their full polio vaccination, which is standard for children and nearly 100% effective. There are clear disparities in the vac cination rate across our city, where some neighborhoods have less cover age and more risk. The City and all officials need to ensure we address these gaps so New Yorkers are pro tected from this virus. All parents and caregivers should make sure their young children have the full course of vaccination against polio. All adults who are unvaccinated, or have not received the full course, should get the full vaccination now. New Yorkers should contact their primary care providers first, and call 311 in the event that is not an option for vacci nation. New Yorkers can visit the City’s vaccine record database to con firm immunization records for them selves and family members. The Council will continue monitoring this potential outbreak and the City’s response, remaining in coordination with our City and State health offi cials.”

The first case of polio in the U.S. since 2013 was announced by New York state health officials on July 21, 2022. The U.S. resident had not beenPoliovaccinated.wasacommon cause of paralysis in children before safe and effective vac cines were invented in the mid-20th cen tury. Thanks to global vaccination cam paigns, polio is now almost eradicated, with only 13 cases of endemic wild poliovirus reported in 2022 to date worldwide.TheNew York patient reportedly con tracted a form of polio that can be traced back to the live, but weakened, poliovirus used in the oral polio vaccine. This version of the vaccine has not been used in the U.S. since 2000. Health offi cials said the virus affecting the male patient, who has muscle weakness and paralysis, likely originated somewhere overseas, where oral vaccines are still administered.Thisarticle explains what vaccinederived poliovirus is and why the inacti vated polio vaccine administered in the U.S. today can’t cause it.

August 12, 2022

Polio in New York – An Infectious Disease Doctor Explains This Exceedingly Rare Occurrence

BY WILLIAM PETRI THE CONVERSATION Stacy Young Board Certified Holistic Health Coach Tel: 917-459-8431 Contact: Are you looking to get into the health business?wellness&

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Albany, NY: NY State of Health, the state’s official health plan Marketplace, today announced its partnership on August 24, with gro cery chain Gristedes and D’Agostino supermarkets, located across New York City. Together with GetCoveredNYC and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, NY State of Health Enrollment Assistors will be on-site at select markets August 27-29, to provide information about affordable insurance options, answer questions and make enrollment“Anytimeappointments.wecanmakeaccess to health insurance information convenient, the easier it becomes for a consumer to enroll in a health plan that is right for their family,” NY State of Health Executive Director Danielle Holahan said. “Our supermarket partners recog nize the value of affordable health insur ance coverage, and we thank them for giving us the opportunity to meet with customers in their “GetCoveredNYC'sstores.”mission is to ensure we are meeting New Yorkers where they are—whether it's by phone, by text, in person, or even at their local grocery store—to help them get the sup port they need when enrolling in health insurance," GetCoveredNYC Outreach Director Alexander Medina said. "We are very excited to be working alongside New York State of Health and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to bring health insurance infor mation services to where New Yorkers are in their Enrollmentcommunities.”isopenfor all programs, Medicaid, Essential Plan, Child Health Plus, and Qualified Health Plans (QHP). Since the start of the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) in March 2020, coverage was automatically extended to New Yorkers enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus or Essential Plan. After the federal PHE ends, con sumers will once again need to take action to keep their coverage. To avoid a gap in coverage, consumers can sign up for NY State of Health text alerts to receive important health insurance updates, including when it’s time to renew, by texting START to 1-866-9880327.Individuals eligible to enroll in Qualified Health Plan may be eligible to receive expanded federal tax credits through the American Rescue Plan Act to lower their premiums, including higher income New Yorkers who may be eligi ble for the first time. Nearly 99 percent of NY State of Health enrollees qualify for free or low-cost insurance that covers important benefits, including doctor vis its, immunizations, mental health servic es, prescriptions, and hospital care. Child Health Plus provides additional dental and vision coverage. Individuals can speak with an enroll ment assistor. Certified Application Counselors, Marketplace Facilitated Enrollers, and Navigators are types of assistors that can help New Yorkers apply for health insurance, understand their coverage options, and enroll in a plan that is right for them. They can also help individuals and families renew their coverage. Assistors remove barriers to the application process by providing assistance in multiple languages, in com munity-based settings, and during nontraditional hours such as evenings and weekends.Formore information, call the Customer Service Center at 1-855-3555777 or visit nystateofhealth.ny.gov.

•Give yourself extra space between cars, so that if someone ahead makes an unex pected move, you have time to react.

A tire blowout occurs when an object punctures the tire, causing it to deflate. The most common culprits include nails, screws, rocks, or other sharp objects that get stuck in the tread of the tire and punc ture it. The damage usually doesn't go all the way through the tread, so a driver may not notice anything is wrong until they get back on the road and feel a bumping sensation in the vehicle. Many factors cause tire blowouts, but whatever the cause, they're extremely dangerous. A blown tire instantly reduces your vehicle's ability to stop and turn. It can also cause a loss of control and even rollover, which can lead to serious injuries or death. How can you avoid this fate? Check your tires regularly and replace them every six years. If you live in an area with lots of potholes and rough roads, you may need to replace them sooner than that. You can check your tire pres sure at any gas station with an air com pressor machine that measures PSI (pounds per square inch). If it reads below 20 PSI on all four tires, then you need new ones right away!

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•Pay attention to your surroundings. Don't let your mind wander while driv ing through unfamiliar territory—stay focused on what's happening around you. Don't be distracted by thoughts about what comes next on vacation or back home after your trip ends.

Tire blowouts

Driving in strange places and visiting family Summer is the time when many people head to new areas for vacation. If you're in an unfamiliar area, you're more likely to get distracted or confused and end up a statistic. The following tips will help ensure your journey to a new area is safe and

Hot car death and heatstroke In a hot car, the interior temperature can rise as much as 20 degrees Fahrenheit within 10 minutes. And if the windows are tinted, it can take even less time for the inside of your vehicle to become dan gerously hot. The best way to prevent heatstroke is to never leave your child or pet alone in a parked car, no matter how briefly you intend to be away from it. A child's body temperature rises four times faster than adults, so they can develop heatstroke or even die in a short time if they can't escape from a locked car. Always lock the car doors when your car is parked at home, so kids can't access the car when it's in the driveway or garage.

Most people are familiar with the hazards of driving in winter-ice, freezing rain, snow, and decreased visibility. Even so, summer can be just as hazardous for drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more car accidents occur during the sum mer months than at any other time of year. Since you're probably planning a road trip this summer, or at least doing some driving around town, here are six driving hazards that you should look out for:

•Drivesmooth:defensively. When you're in an unfamiliar place, it's important to keep an eye out for things that could cause an accident, such as animals darting across the road or pedestrians walking near traf fic lights or crosswalks.

Being awake for more than 18 hours can be as dangerous as driving drunk. If you're tired, you might find yourself nodding off on the road, which can lead to a crash that results in death or injury. If you feel sleepy, the worst thing you can do is press on. That's how accidents happen. Pull over into a parking lot or other safe place and take a nap if possible— even if only for 15 min utes. Even better, let someone else drive.

Construction zones You're more likely to encounter road work when you drive in the summer, and that can be harmful to your health. On average, around 774 people lose their lives in work zone accidents annually. You should never drive distracted, but be even more aware in areas where construc tion is going on. There are many hazards in construction zones that can catch you by sur prise if you're not pay

ing attention. Pay attention to signs for new traffic patterns or lane closures, as well as workers who may be present on the roadsides. If you're unsure of which direction to take, look for detour signs or ask an offi cial at the site if they know where to go.

•Don't speed through unfamiliar areas. Keep your speed down so you have time to react if something unexpected hap pens on the road ahead of you, like a car suddenly pulling out in front of you or a child running into traffic without looking

•Alwaysfirst. wear your seatbelt. This is important at all times, but especially when driving in unfamiliar areas.

BY CHRIS TOBIAS

Conclusion Enjoy the last weeks of summertime vacation and adventures but stay safe when you're on the road and be aware of these summertime driving hazards.

Drowsy driving Whether you take long summertime vacations or drive long distances for work, summertime increases the risk of drowsy driving. The heat can affect your brain in a way that causes you to feel drowsy. Plus, dehydra tion can worsen the drowsiness.Drowsydriving kills!

•Be mindful of other drivers on the road with you who may not be paying atten tion as closely as they should be.

Summertime Driving Hazards

•If you're traveling with children, keep them from distracting you while driving by making sure they're properly restrained in their car seats or booster seats and giving them some kind of activity before you set off.

Teenage drivers Teenagers are more likely to be out on the roads and highways during the sum mer months, and they're more likely to be involved in a car crash. Teenagers have less driving experience than adults. Unlike adults, who may have had years of behind-the-wheel practice, teenagers can begin driving at 16 or 17 years old with little formal training. Along with their inexperience as driv ers, teenagers face other problems while operating motor vehicles. They're more likely than older drivers to drink alcohol and drive impaired (which can lead to fatal crashes). Plus, they're more likely to get distracted behind the wheel.

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TBOG Travel is a trailblazing travel company, with over 25-years of experi ence. With offices in New York, Philadelphia and Dallas, the agency pro vides customized travel packages tai lored for Black travelers. Its annual run cation is offered under its Reggae Runnerz package, which is created spe cially for the Reggae Marathon. Travelers enjoy the race and then venture out to explore the rich culture, beauty, and good vibes of Jamaica. We caught up with TBOG Travel’s owner, Lisa Laws, while she was in Tanzania hosting a travel experience that includes climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, exploring the Great Migration in the Serengeti on Safari, and luxuriating in Zanzibar (#TravelGoals).

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TBOG Travel and Reggae Marathon have been partnering to host runcations in Jamaica since 2012. According to one of the Reggae Marathon’s directors, Diane Ellis, in recent years TBOG Travel has continual ly brought the largest group to the event, hosting up to 500 people per year. These participants are mainly Jamaicans living abroad and Black Americans.

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Why is the Reggae Marathon such a popular travel event among Black travelers and members of the diaspo Laws:ra? Jamaica is pretty much the most affordable and accessible travel destina tion in the Caribbean, so Black travelers love that. But also the running communi ty loves to run at different racing events around the globe. So, putting together an experience in one of the most beautiful countries in the world, in a place like Negril that has one of the best beaches in the world, and running the Reggae Marathon — which is a Boston Marathon qualifier with seamless logistics — is what I know draws them to running in Jamaica. What can a first-time Black traveler expect from the Reggae Runnerz expe Laws:rience?The runcation is a five-day experi ence full of activities. We start on Thursday with our meet and greet, where everyone gets to mix and mingle with each other. Friday includes tours and excursions to attractions such as a Rastafarian cultural tour, a catamaran boat tour, and ATV. Friday evening is our annual lip sync battle where Runnerz sign up as contestants and perform for the title of lip sync champions. Saturday night is the World's Largest Pasta Party, hosted by Reggae Marathon. And, on Sunday night after the race, we have a themed party with live performances from local and international acts such as Beenie Man, Sanchez, Doug E. Fresh, and Third World. I try to provide a cultural experience. It is important to showcase Jamaica beyond the stereotypical tourist side; there is more to Jamaica than what people know. The history, the culture and most impor tantly, the people! The feedback has been amazing yearly! This will be my 11th year, so I always welcome feedback. The Runnerz always come up with new ideas on how to improve certain parts of the experience —and many have created volunteer opportunities to help and manage certain aspects of the runcation. For example, the registration check-in and lip sync bat tle is run by the Runnerz themselves. This has become the Runnerz event. That is why it is so special. This year we will be handing out a lot of 10-year medals for those who have been coming for 10 years. This has become a family reunion and a yearly travel experience for so many! In one sentence, tell us why someone should join the Reggae Runnerz expe Laws:rience. The Reggae Runnerz experience affords you a one-stop shop to experi ence the most beautiful island in the Caribbean — to run, have fun and give back to the local community. I always say, come run where the sun meets the sea at the Reggae Marathon in Negril Jamaica!l

Each year the Reggae Marathon — an annual 10K, half marathon and marathon held in Negril, Jamaica — partners with US-based, Black-owned travel company, The Black Onyx Group Travel (TBOG Travel) to offer a unique travel experience that includes participa tion in the race, plus a relaxing and cul turally immersive vacation, in arguably the most alluring seaside village on the island.The global running community has coined this kind of running-centered travel experience as a ‘runcation’.

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Reggae Marathon & New York-based Black Travel Agency Partner to Host ‘Running Vacation’ in Jamaica

Laws, who is herself a JamaicanAmerican, shared about the runcation experience that has attracted thousands of Black travelers over the years. What made you fall in love with trav eling and racing events like the Reggae Laws:Marathon? My family is in Montego Bay and Kingston, so I’m frequently in the coun try. Back in 2012, I was in Negril on vacation, and a good friend of mine, the owner of Negril Treehouse Resort, Gail Jackson, told me about a racing event called Reggae Marathon. As a fitness fanatic, I was immediately interested. During that time, some of my friends were also coming to Jamaica for vaca tion, and they joined me to participate, as well. After some completed the full marathon, others completed the half marathon or 10K, we all agreed that we would be attending the Reggae Marathon the following year. The next year, I booked a couple rooms, and suddenly the group of twelve turned into 200 people. This gave me the idea to create a package that included a weekend of events lead ing up to, and after the marathon, while working with local tourism service providers, like JUTA, JTL, and Chukka Adventures.

Photo courtesy: Reggae Marathon

“We love to have this group,” Ellis shares, while expressing enormous grati tude to the TBOG Travel team. “They are fun-loving and bring a lot of vibes to the event. They know how to have a good time, and many are repeat participants. More importantly, this group gives back. They support charities in Negril and sur rounding communities, and provide much needed funds to the local Green Island High School.”

“Knowledge is a useful and powerful tool that can help make any situation eas ier to navigate, especially something as challenging as caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s President & CEO.

New Yorkers Invited to a Free Alzheimer’s Educational Conference on September 14

Sessions during the AFA conference will include:

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“Connecting families with useful, practi cal information and support that can help them now and be better prepared for the future is what this conference is all about. Whether Alzheimer’s is affecting your family, you are a caregiver or just want to learn more about brain health, we invite you to join us on September 14.”

GENERATIONS

•Adult Guardianship – Many individu als living with Alzheimer’s disease may be unable to care for themselves or make decisions about their care or financial matters. An adult guardianship can help them. The presenter will discuss adult guardianships, how to set them up, and how they can benefit someone who is cognitively impaired. She will repudiate myths on this subject and teach families how to avoid the unwanted litigation associated with a guardianship proceed •ing.

NEW YORK: The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America (AFA) will host a free Alzheimer’s edu cational conference for New Yorkers on Wednesday, September 14, at the Harvard Club of New York City (35 W. 44th Street, Manhattan) from 8:30 am to 1:00 pm. The free conference, part of AFA’s national Educating America Tour, is open to everyone and will allow partic ipants to learn from experts in the field of Alzheimer’s disease, brain health, and the legal concerns associated with the disease. To register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour. Space is limited on a first come, first served basis.

•The Alzheimer’s Disease Spectrum –6.2 million Americans currently live with Alzheimer’s disease, but every person experiences symptoms differently. Gayatri Devi, MD, provide a general overview of Alzheimer’s disease; how it impacts cognition, memory, and behav ior; symptoms individuals may experi ence; and the importance of developing an individualized treatment plan based on the person’s experiences.

Jennifer Walsh, a Wellness Expert will talk about the grave health implications that spending most of our time indoors has on our bodies and our brains. She will also review the impact that green and blue spaces have on the brain and how biophilic design can create healthy indoor spaces connecting them to nature.

There will also be a special musical per formance from the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, a New York City-based, Grammy-Award winning conductor-less chamber orchestra, which brings the healing power of music to people living with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia and their caregivers. Music can bring emotional and physical close ness, help to ease stress, and encourage positive interactions. Free, confidential memory screenings will be conducted throughout the day. For more information or to register, go to www.alzfdn.org/tour. Those who can not participate in the conference or have immediate questions about Alzheimer’s disease can connect with licensed social workers seven days a week through AFA’s National Toll-Free Helpline by calling 866-232-8484 or web chatting www.alzfdn.org. The web chat feature is available in more than 90 languages l

Nature on the Brain – Getting outside, exercising, and breathing fresh air is important for everyone’s physical and mental health, but almost all Americans spend most of their days indoors.

Photo courtesy: AFA

5 Ways to Give Your Partner More Space

Re-connect with Others

People sometimes become so absorbed in their relationship with a romantic part ner that other relationships suffer. If your partner has expressed a desire for space, it could be a good time to reconnect with family members and friends. Call an old friend or catch up with relatives. Strengthening the other relationships in your life can make you less dependent on your romantic relationship and give you and your partner the balance that you both need. Limit Texting and Calls It's perfectly fine to stay in touch with your partner when you are apart. However, don't overwhelm your partner with constant texts or phone calls. Neither of you will be able to enjoy your alone time if you are constantly checking up on each other. Too much texting will only make you seem insecure and clingy. It will give your partner the impression that you don't trust them. Instead of enjoying their space, it may make them more frustrated and irritable. If you really want to give your partner some space, you'll put the phone down. A healthy relationship is a balance of togetherness and personal space alone. Learn to create that balance by spending quality time together and apart. Balanced relationships in which both partners are willing to give each other space may be the healthiest and most long-lasting.

l BY MARY CAMPBELL

When we think of relationships, we think of togetherness. However, too much of a good thing can be bad. Everyone needs their own space. What do you do when your partner says they need their own space? First, don't panic. It doesn't mean the end of a relationship. It simply means your partner needs some time for themselves. Here are a few tips for maintaining a bal ance between togetherness and enjoying time alone or with others.

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Embrace Your Partner's Honesty If your partner has said they need some space, don't take it personally. Don't get hurt or offended; instead, embrace your partner's honesty. Then embrace the opportunity to enjoy some space of your own. Do something you always wanted to do but never had the time. Join a gym or take a dance class. Practice meditation or experiment with new dinner recipes. The choice is yours. Enjoy Time Alone Enjoying time with your partner is won derful, but you limit your individual enjoyment and potential when you do everything together. You and your part ner may have some hobbies and activi ties that are enjoyable to one of you but not the other. There is nothing wrong with engaging in an activity alone or with friends or family. Learn to enjoy your alone time. Work on some of your own personal goals, such as furthering your education or starting an exercise pro gram. Make Together Time Quality Time Couples may get bored when they spend all of their time together. The quantity of time you spend together is not as impor tant as the quality of that time. You may be with each other all day in the same house, but it's not the same as doing something you enjoy together. Try to spend quality time together doing an activity you enjoy, or just mindfully spending time alone together sharing a meal or having a conversation.

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A number of cities including Phoenix, Austin, El Paso and Baltimore have made that switch in the past 20 years and saw big jumps in turnout after doing so, he said. But the change would have to come from the state constitution, which would be an uphill climb. “It’s hard because politicians don’t like change.”Create nonpartisan primaries: Like Fuchs, Shaffer would also like to see the city implement open primaries. Former mayor Michael Bloomberg tried to make that happen in 2003, but the measure failed in the face of opposition from the City Council and labor unions.

“Having nonpartisan primaries, where the two highest vote-getters — regardless of what party they’re in — would then run off in the general election would probably be the fairest way to run an election in New York,” she said.

Turnout in NYC’s Primary Was Tragically Low — Again. Here are 6 Experts’ Ideas on How to Fix That.

Frederick Shaffer, NYC Campaign Finance Board chair Switch city elections to even-numbered years: Back in the late 19th century, New York City made the switch from elections on even-numbered years to “off cycle,” meaning odd-numbered years that do not correspond to state or federal elections. Why? It’s complicated, but in part it was done “to depress voter turnout and there by weaken the Democratic machine,” Schaffer wrote in a January op-ed advo cating for making the switch back — to coincide with either gubernatorial races, or presidential contests. “It’s clear that you can meaningfully significantly increase turnout by doing his own views and not those of the CFB.

Susan Lerner, executive director at Common Cause NY, and Bill Chong, board member of Rank the Vote NYC and former commissioner of the Department of Youth and Community Development Universal ranked choice voting: At a post-Primary Day briefing on Wednesday, Lerner and Chong said they have noticed “many voters” in New York’s 10th Congressional District were disappointed that “they couldn’t rank their candidates for Congress just as they’ve enjoyed ranking their candidates for city office in 2021,” Lerner said.

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“The legislature has control. And it’s really up to the voters to communicate with their representatives how they want to see elections have run,” she said. Ban elections during summer vacation: Chong had one piece of advice for offi cials looking for ways to boost turnout.

Absentee ballots are still trickling in, likely putting voter turnout in New York’s late-summer pri mary just above double digits. At least 237,000 people cast ballots through in-person voting, and at least 39,000 returned absentee ballots, which means at least 12% of 2.3 million voters with eligible contests cast ballots in those races.Election and voting experts who spoke with THE CITY said it’s hard to compare this summer’s primary — bifurcated at the last minute after a long and chaotic redistricting process — to any other. But the contests underscored a number of ways turnout can be improved in New York, a city with years of notoriously low voting rates under its belt. Here are just some of their ideas to boost the numbers at the polls, next time around: State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, chair of the Committee on Elections Try again for no-excuse ballots and same-day registration: “Commonsense things that we saw implemented as emer gency procedures during the pandemic, obviously, are not in place now,” he said, referring to a failed ballot referendum from last year that would have imple mented no-excuse absentee ballots and same-day registration.

Ester Fuchs, professor of public affairs and political science, Columbia University Open up the primaries: Though New York is “primarily a Democratic city,” not everyone is registered with a major party, Fuchs said. In fact, 1.1 million peo ple in NYC are registered with neither major party, state Board of Elections records show. New York’s closed primaries — where only people registered with a party can vote — are effectively the only real elec tion. That’s problematic, Fuchs thinks. “You are effectively disenfranchising, in the most important election of the city, independent voters,” she said. In NY-10, for example, “if you didn’t vote in this primary, you’re not getting a meaningful choice in the general election.”

“Don’t have an election two weeks before Labor Day,” he said. “I mean, it was a recipe for low turnout.”l This story was published on August 24, 2022 by THE CITY.

BY RACHEL HOLLIDAY SMITH THE CITY

“He chose a very bad year to do it. I think it’s absolutely the right idea, but he chose an off year,” he said. Shaffer thinks it would boost voter par ticipation among the more than a million independent voters in the city. And mak ing it happen would require legislation from the City Council, not a state consti tutional amendment. “It would be, in theory, the more easy reform to accomplish,” he said.

Lena Cohen, senior policy analyst at United Neighborhood Houses Rock the vote at settlement houses — and places like them: At UNH, an umbrella organization that assists and supports 40 settlement houses in New York City, Cohen and her staff have tracked how much voting happens among the people who interface with programs or services at a settlement house — a local nonprofit group with roots in the early 20th century antipoverty reform movement — versus the rest of the city. The results, published in a recent report, are clear: Citywide turnout in last year’s city primary was 22%, while vot ers who pledged to cast ballots through settlement houses had 41% turnout. The trend held for previous city elections, too; in 2017, the figures were 25% and 38%, respectively, and in 2013, they were 26% and 34%. For her, it comes down to trust, and a lot of phone calls. “Doing the hard, in-person voter out reach, cold-call conversations … and with a second and third conversation from that same settlement house saying, ‘Hey, just following up making sure you feel ready, able, and comfortable to vote,’” she said.

“We’re using the tools that we see a lot of our partners in the GOTV space using, but we’re just really focusing on reach ing out to the individuals that exist in our communities — folks that will recognize, ‘Oh, Henry Street settlement on the Lower East Side is calling me. Yes, I’ll answer.’ It’s a little different than a cam paign,” she said.

“We observed strategic voting in con gressional District 10, in which voters felt forced to choose a candidate based on their belief that they had the best chance of winning against another candi date,” she said. “Unfortunately, this often meant pitting two women of color against each other.” Their solution: The state should imple ment universal ranked choice voting for all elections, not just municipal ones. Doing that would require Albany law makers to change election law.

To make that happen, Albany legisla tors will have to approve a constitutional amendment over two consecutive ses sions, then bring the measure to voters — again.“That’s certainly something that we should be looking at and something that I look forward to having further discus sions on,” Myrie said. Keep up the confidence: “What we saw in this election and in the early voting: There weren’t as many hiccups as we’ve seen in the past. There weren’t blaring headlines about any particular failure at the Board of Elections,” he said. “I think that’s a really good start for folks to feel more comfortable with the process and say, ‘Okay, well, there wasn’t any major screw up.’ That will instill confidence.”

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Caribbean American Weekly - Issue 159

Articles inside

Partner More Space

Ways to Give Your

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